Please tell us a little about yourself (current work, education, experience, background).

My name is Steven Farmer and I currently reside in Italy Texas. I had the honor to grow up and graduate high school here. After high school I went to college for 2 years and decide I wanted to serve my country. So I joined the United States Marine Corps. While I was in the Marines I took part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is where I earned the title of Combat Veteran. So I know the sacrifices you must make for the common good. While I was in the Marine Corps I was able to earn a degree in Criminal Justice. Currently, I am a Market Manager for BlackBerry. Last and certainly my favorite, is my son Gavin Farmer. He is 5 years old son. I will be the first to say I am a very proud father. He is who makes me what I am today.

How many council meetings did you attend in the last 12 months?

I have been to one in Italy and four in the DFW area.

Why are you seeking to be a council member?

I am running because I would like to see a change. A change where the community is put first before anything. As of now some of the current administration does not think of the community first.

What qualifications or experience do you possess that voters should consider?

Meet with State and Local Government (Weekly)
Managing budgets (Daily)
Strategic Development for Revenue Growth (Weekly)
Leadership Training (Yearly)
Business Development ( Daily)

What do you consider the most important issue facing our city today?

I think all issues are important, but really would like to see a change in the water bill. Citizens have again voiced their concerns for themselves and their family members to me. My concern with this is we have a lot of citizens on fixed income that can’t afford the increase of the current billing.

What do you hope to accomplish during the next 2 years?

There are various things I would like to accomplish. I would like to see more activities and citizen involvement on how the city is ran.

What do you consider the most important and least important duties a council member has?

The most important is, always remember you are the voice and representative of the community. So decisions that are being made need to be in the best interest of them. Everything is important to me even the little things.

What do you think should be the top priorities of the city after this election?

In my opinion some city ordinances need to be re-evaluated. There are more top priorities than just that.

Is there anything you would want to change about the way our city is run?

Yes, several things, but this isn’t about what I would like to change. It’s about what the citizens would like to see changed.

What do you think the city should do to draw new businesses or industry to Italy?

In order to draw new businesses or industry to Italy we need to get the car out of neutral and put in drive where we can start moving forward.

What community service have you given any community in the past?

With my current company I do more charity work vs community, but it usually helps the community in the end. Such as Toys for Tots! I am involved with this every year. For Italy I have coached IYAA Football and Baseball in the past.

What do you want the voters to know that they may not know?

Over the past three years I have spoken to many citizens in Italy. They have voiced many concerns about different issues. I had the same concerns! So I decided I would run for City Council in order to help the citizen’s. I am happy to say that I have my family and friends supporting me through this. So win or lose I will continue to help the community as much as I can.

What do you think could be done to cut expenses in the city budget if any?

There are several things that can be put in place in order to cut expenses. The one thing that can make an immediate impact is controlled spending.